The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-07-09
TALKING TO ONES sELE.
A Most Excellent way OF Combating weak
0pas. E1nttsu, mud usrtsln.


pleasure SO to do for two reasons--first,
because it is always agreeable to talk
to sensible man; and, second, it is
equally agreeable to hear sensible
man talk. There Is, in fact, certain
fascination in it. A recent writer upon
the Human Brain" asserts that this
habit is one of the tokens of incipient
insanity. It is to be hoped that it is
not. For 1t prevails usually among
children and persons of advanced age,
and though sometimes indicative of a
certain mental weakness, it need not on
ti,At account secessarily point to u loss
OF brain. 1t is doubtless often mere
habit, arising from intense reflection,
among sober-minded people. 1t might
prove highly profitable indeed to many
persons If they would cultivate this
rare exercise. For the trouble is that
individuals do not communicate with
themselves nearly enough. The mass of
mon drift down swiftly on the current
OF their thoughts, swept OF on the tide
OF business and pleasure. Their inner
life, like their outer, is engrossed with
what they shall eat and drink, put on
and do to gain their favorite purposes.
Meanwhile they do not seem to have
been ever introduced to themselves.
AS the subject, they think and feel and
resolve and act, but it is all about the
world outside of themselves rs the
object. While men turn their minds
inward to think about themselves, the
metaphysicians call it making self the
subject and the object. As the subject
he thinks and he thinks of himself as
the object. This may seem dry enough,
but the distinction is important.
Holmes has somewhere said that every
man Is three men-first, what the world
thinks him to be; next, what he thinks
himself to be; and, third, what God
knows him to be. But how many por-
sons have formed any careful estimate,
founded upon patient determination
and deliberate reflection, as to the
second of the above menp Our esti-
mate OF ourselves is only guess. 1t is
ever delicate question, this about
ones real self. 1t toxches pride and
self-esteem in tender spot. Self
search will surely bring out faults and
frailities now unknown or hastily
CLOSED over. There is nothing one is
so glad to get away from as from his
own weaknesses. If any one dis
believes this. let him try to ac-
curately reveal to some young
person the faults patent to all but
their owner. and he will find that he
has created. antagonism in rendering
the most useful service. The aversion
to this self-knowledge is deep-seated
and well-nigh universal. One has to
school himself to it before he will UNDER
take the uncongenial task. What an
infrequent thing it is for one to coolly
place himself outside of himself, to see
what manner of man he is. For it is
not q delusion that every man is a
double in this respect. Persons have
little idea of what is going on in them
selves. because they do not courageous
ly look to see. For this reason they so
often suddenly awake to their own true
nature, when betrayed into unantici-
pated folly, and it may be even crime.
They have been unconsciously educat-
ing themselves into sinful modes of
thought and life; and when the out
burst comes, they are startled and sur.
prised beyond measure at the terrible
development of self into what they
would deem monster in another. "Is
thy servant dog that he should do this
thingP" Yes, unfortunately, in many
cases he is, though indignant at the in
timation.
Now. if one will rightly cultivate the
habit of talking to himself. he will be-
gin to find himself out. He will be at
first considerably surprised at this new
acquaintance. Of whom he has heard a
good deal. He will find that he has a
stranger within his gates. Neither has
he been entertaining an angel un-
awares. He will acquire great many
fresh ideas about his new friend. One
is often amazed upon thinking over
course of conversation with others,
especially when the mind has been
deeply aroused. Vivid thoughts,
strange speeches and unsupported fan
cies have spontaneously flashed out
from some hidden source. They seem
to have been the utterance of another.
1t is vain to speculate whence they
have come, so unbidden and such odd
strangers. But this mysterious inner
self may be drawn out and made to re-
veal its spirit and concealed life, if one
will have frank, honest. unforced
talk with himself now and then. Take
pains to draw the other man out that
lies secreted in the cave of the soul.
Sometimes you will find him u
very good fellow; sometimes he
will talk very strangely indeed;
sometimes you will be grievously
shocked to hear what the creature will
utter. He will let himself out If you
only give him half chance. But you
must talk to him, and then listen
intently to what he has to say. Thus
you will take him off his guard. The
good minister might have talked to
very sensible fellow. But goodly
number of us will be disgusted in hear
ing very foolish persons talk back to
us.
What is there unreasonable in the
assertion that in order to find out your
self truly you must talk with yourself
Uk l. ~